Grantee Profile: Shaima Hussein

The UK Scholarship Programs Spring 2007 Conference in Durham, England, kicked off with a keynote speech by Shaima Hussein, a Scholarship Programs alum who lives and works in Amman, Jordan. In 2004-2005, Hussein studied on a scholarship at the University of Essex, where she specialized in human rights. Presently, Shaima works with the Italian NGO Un Ponte Per on prison issues, women’s issues, and nonviolent training in Iraq and throughout the greater Middle East. Invited to address this year’s cohort of grantees, Hussein offered advice on searching for jobs and tips for how to deal with reverse culture shock. She also highlighted her current work in Amman and discussed the benefits and drawbacks of her experience in the UK.

During her presentation, Hussein compared the classroom environment in the UK to that in her home country. Before her studies in the UK, she earned an undergraduate degree in literature from a university in Jordan. Currently, she is completing her PhD in International Relations with a focus on human rights from a university in Cairo. Schooled in three countries, she spoke with a Scholarship Programs coordinator about the advantages and drawbacks of each experience.

Study in the UK & Middle East

Surprisingly, Hussein found UK classrooms less dynamic than she had expected. While she did not experience the "empty container" settings she'd found in Jordan, where strict lectures were the primary mode of instruction, Hussein didn’t receive the back-and-forth interaction she had anticipated. Later in the day, Beena Butool, a grantee from Pakistan currently studying at the University of Cambridge, expressed similar feelings. She found Pakistani students more engaged and vibrant than her UK counterparts. According to her, Pakistani professors expected class to consist largely of lively discussion. Disregarding notes, the professors and students challenged each other, whereas in the UK, students rarely interrupted the professor.

Hussein’s biggest complaint about the UK universities, however, was their relative lack of resources on the Middle East, especially when compared to universities in the region. Perhaps predictably, she found more diverse viewpoints and a more balanced approach to the region in Cairo than she found in the UK.

What Hussein enjoyed most about her UK education was the focus on comparative analysis and critical-thinking skills. She credits it with sharpening her analytical skills; a useful capacity not only in her work but also in her PhD studies. While she has found academic resources excellent both in Jordan and Cairo, they are geared more towards a case-study approach rather than a comparative one. With a grounding in both approaches, Shaima believes she is well prepared to undertake her PhD studies. Without her UK scholarship, she would have not been exposed to the analytical and comparative approach she enjoyed at the University of Essex.

Reverse Culture Shock

It's not just academic differences that grantees confront when studying abroad; it's also the habits of daily life. Nearly everyone who has lived abroad and returned home has experienced reverse culture shock. Oftentimes this is more difficult to handle than the initial cultural shock. While challenging in its own right, the stress of reverse culture shock can be intensified because of other concerns, like looking for a job. In many cases, Scholarship Programs grantees return home, say a quick hello to their friends and family, and then retreat to their computer, in search of a job. Upon returning home, Hussein spent so much time online that she can recall her parents asking her to turn the computer off so she could spend more time with family.

But she couldn’t. Hussein relentlessly went about checking every organization’s website she came across looking for job openings. Though in short order she was offered several positions, the pressure of landing that perfect job still lingers in her habits to this day. Each time she comes across an interesting organization, she checks for vacancies despite the fact that she is thrilled with her current work. It's an unconscious habit resulting from the pressures of her initial job search.

Returning home after study abroad can be tiring. Hussein stressed the need for patience while readjusting and looking for a job. Eventually, alums will settle back in, and hopefully, like Hussein, reflect on a rewarding study abroad experience while embarking on a successful career.